gourmet (ˈɡʊəmeɪ, French ɡurmɛ) — n: a person who cultivates a discriminating palate for the enjoyment of good food and drink

Social adventures in food, culture, travel, and more for adult singles and couples of any age. You don't have to be a gourmet cook to join, just have an appreciation for quality food, a desire to explore other cultures, and a willingness to make warm social connections!

Do you appreciate all things food, including dinner parties, group cooking, cook-offs, food walking tours, chef demos, wine tastings, and ethnic dining? Yet, we are not just about food, wine and dining. What else do we like to do?

Do you enjoy learning about other cultures and attending cultural events, such as music, dance, movies, theater, festivals, day and weekend trips? Do you like being physically active: biking, dancing, hiking, kayaking, roller skating, camping, to name a few?

You don't have to like them all or want to try them all . . . but do come and check us out!

While we will do some similar events as other groups, my goal in starting this group was to bring people together who are willing to "think outside the box." I was a starving, self-supporting, adult college student for many years and had very little money for much of anything then, and for a long time afterward. I loved ethnic dining but could no longer afford to eat out, so I started an ethnic dinner group called "Global Gourmet."

I also loved to travel but had to prioritize my meager resources, so I learned how to travel low-budget. I learned to barter and negotiate for most of the things I wanted and needed.

I would like to resurrect these and many other unique ideas and share them with you, especially now, during challenging economic times. On the flip side, not everything will be low-budget, as my hope is to have something for everyone! And, an occasional splurge is good for the spirit!

I love the Meetup concept and the opportunity to share these events with you and most of all, the opportunity to get to know you better! I also love hearing about your ideas for potential Meetup events and activities and appreciate your interest and involvement. I have made many genuine friends through Meetup and want to expand the friendship circle even further!

We are constantly creating new and innovative events and are always on the lookout for interesting things to do. This is where you can help. Do you have space to accommodate 8 to 12 people for dinner, a movie, a game night or some other event? If so, contact me using the "Contact" feature on the left side of the website to share your ideas or to let me know you have space and I will happily offer ideas for you to consider! Then, come join us for some unique adventures in fun!

A few notes . . . joining is easy, but I do ask for a few simple things:

1) I do require appropriate photos of our members. Your primary picture should be a clear, current, close-up, solo photo of yourself.

Your current photo assists the event organizer and fellow group members to easily identify you at a Meetup activity. Since many of our events are held in private homes, your photo offers some reassurance to those who are willing to open their homes to you.

If you wish to discuss your reasons for not posting a photo on Meetup, please contact me. Sometimes it's as simple as you sending me a photo privately or being willing to have a photo taken of you at your first event with us.

Members who join and subsequently remove their photos from their profile, may be subject to removal from the Group. This is a private group, so only current members can see profiles and photos. We want all members to feel as safe as possible in the "Global Gourmet" Meetup Group.

2) Changes to RSVPs. Because of the smaller size of our events, each person's presence and contribution is important to its success. Our events will often have a "Waiting List." Please only RSVP "yes" if you can definitely attend. You may change your RSVP any time before 48 hours of the event. This way, someone else will have a chance to take your place and arrangements can be made to cover your food and beverage contributions.

Once being accepted into the group, please read the full message board posting of the "No Show & Changing of RSVPs to 'No' Within 48 Hours of An Event" Guidelines:

3) If an event is closed and you'd really like to go, please contact me. If I can fit you in, even last minute, I will attempt to do so. Whenever possible, I want to be able to include anyone who really wants to attend any event.

4) New members have 60 days to see if "Global Gourmet" is a good fit for them. During this time, trial members pay $2 per home event or become an annual member by paying the $10 Annual Membership dues at any Meetup event. Due to their small size and popularity, events are typically for members only. Guests (+1s) may attend by request for up to two events before needing to pay Annual Membership dues. Fees collected during the trial period do not apply to the Annual Membership. All dues payments are non-refundable.

5) Removal from the Group. My goal is to cultivate a group of really nice, friendly, considerate people who do what they say they're going to do. Therefore, undo rudeness and hostility to any member, no shows, chronic last-minute changes to RSVPs, habitually not bringing food and beverage as outlined in a Meetup posting, or any unethical behavior may be grounds for removal from the Group. As the Group's organizer, removal will be at my sole discretion and refunds will not be given.

6) Lastly, you must really enjoy hanging out with people of different ages and cultural backgrounds and be willing to risk making warm, heartfelt connections. And, there's a pretty good chance you'll probably learn something new and interesting along the way. ;-)

"It's valuable to surround yourself with like-minded people who promote positivity, offer perspective, and reflect back to you the things that are most important in your life." ~ Chrissy Carter